T-Amps Decent?

I've owned a few of the T amps; 2024, 2020, the Sure 2x100 board...

Right now I am using a Class D audio board that provides 300W per channel into 4 ohms with a 48v supply. It isn't a T amp as this is a term coined to describe Tripath based amps, as far as I can tell. It is based on a new Texas Instruments chip.

I certainly think class d amps are capable of superb sound regardless of price. I actually sold my tube amp because I preferred the sound of the T amp! I think the key is to either use an efficient speaker with an easy load with the smaller T amps or get one of the powerful models for typical speakers. They don't have that soft clipping feature of tubes and can sound pretty harsh if overtaxed. Used properly they are the definition of clean.
 
Bigkahuna said:
The Hlly T20 is what I have 2 of them in fact. Very interesting project you have there.
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I will try and post my impressions once I'm done putting the tube preamp together. I also have a Sure 100w T amp board that I'm modifying with some simple upgrades, but this thing can really make some of the less efficient speakers sing pretty well also.

I'm also considering going the bi-amp route and run the HF off the HLLY T20 and powering the LF with the Sure 100w and adding a small subwoofer for the really lower frequencies (>60hz).
 
A good listen this morning

A good listen this morning with coffee in hand I quickly set up in the basement which is a mess. Worked down there for a few hours and listening to to this set up is such a joy that it is making clearing out the clutter a better experience. I am going to try a Led Zep Houses of holy cd that sounded so bad on my main set up I just do not listen to it. This morning it has been classical music.

Would love to hear more about these projects and BTW I wouldn't consider it stealing this thread to be posting interesting stuff here..... So, post it up!
 
It's good to hear your enjoying the HLLY. I'm hoping mine arrives today. I did post a seperate thread about using a pre amp with T amps. I have a tube pre that's not being used at the moment. Anyway I'll post my thoughts after I have a listen.

cubdog
 
I plan on getting a T amp to hook up to my Decware CSP2 so I'm looking forward to hearing the opinions on the tube pre combination.
 
Led Zep CD

Well, listened to the Led Zep CD and I think that my opinion is still the same. It is just a poor remastering of that CD. I don't have vinyl gear set up yet or a copy of that LP but I am quite sure it sounded much better on vinyl many years ago. I am really new to this but I can see the frustration you guys have with CDs. Now listening to John Lee Hooker which are some eary recordings and most of his stuff I have in MP3 files which also vary in quality. I guess garbage in garbage out but I still say this T amp is very clean and well defined sound....... BTW the speakers I am using are Boston HD9 and they are 90db efficient. Really plenty volume for normal listening levels and I have yet to push things to see where distortion occurs. You certainly are not going to DJ a party with this little amp.
 
cubdog said:
It's good to hear your enjoying the HLLY. I'm hoping mine arrives today. I did post a seperate thread about using a pre amp with T amps. I have a tube pre that's not being used at the moment. Anyway I'll post my thoughts after I have a listen.

cubdog
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A preamp would certainly give you more flexibilty but I have thought to myself already that there doesn't seem to be much need to change the sound with any controls. I am kind of new to this so my opinion should be taken skeptically as I am not sure I have totally developed a fine ear for good sound. Although my main system a Sanui 9090 and Marantz HD88 speakers are a great combo once I turned down the pots for the highs and got used to the controls on the reciever. My speakers have had the woofers replaced by a previous owner and aren't real balanced with the rest of the speaker.
 
I've bought 4 of the little Sonic Impacts for family and friends. Have a ball with mine - use it in my travel bag etc.
 
Hepcat said:
I've bought 4 of the little Sonic Impacts for family and friends. Have a ball with mine - use it in my travel bag etc.
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So, with MP3 you have a start do you pack speakers and what kind? I have actually packed and brought a small set of computer speakers with sub woofer. Not sure if you could amplify those though????
 
I am surely a class D convert from the big, awesome, current draining amps of yesteryear.

All that remains in frequent use of my vintage hoard are a preamp, one receiver (as a tuner), and a tuner. The old speakers are all still used, though. :D

I have a 2nd Generation SI T-amp (TA2024) in my home office, a Hlly T-Amp 20 (TA2020) in my work office, a 41Hz Amp 6 (TA2020) in the basement, and a NHT Power2 (ICE Power 500A/ASP) in the main rig. The efficiency is awesome, and the sound is more clear than anything else I've heard, using all the same speakers.

I'm also addicted to reading the DIYAudio Class D Forum. :D
 
I can't wait to fire up my Tamp90. It didn't come today.:sigh: Do you guys find these amps benefit from a burn in period. Quite frankly I didn't notice any improvement with my Sonic T. I thought it sounded good right out of the box.

cubdog
 
Clmrt said:
Some pro amps have a "parallel" input arrangement where one input (left ot right only) drives both amp channels. Then you can wire one amplifier channel to the tweet and one to the woof in a bi-amp capable speaker system. Two seperate amplifiers required for stereo.

I think that's what he did.
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I guess that's what I did, Paralleled the inputs. I liked this configuration, because I felt it separated the channels even more, thus improved the sound.
 
Bigkahuna said:
That would be cool if you could suggest some speakers. I had heard you could use two of these and BI amp them or something but I am not even sure I know what that is.......
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My comments are only based of using the orriginal Sonic T-amps. I havn't kept up with the later higher powered chipsets.

I've had my best Match with Tektons, Bottleheads, and Kinetic audios. Some success with DCM Timewindows, AR-4's, Allison 4's, and the JBL northridge series. Worst match has been with Vandersteens, Mags, and Thiel.
 
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Burn In

cubdog said:
I can't wait to fire up my Tamp90. It didn't come today.:sigh: Do you guys find these amps benefit from a burn in period. Quite frankly I didn't notice any improvement with my Sonic T. I thought it sounded good right out of the box.

cubdog
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I think mine sounds great now if it gets better with time hey I am lovin' it..... I do often wonder about the subjective nature of these things though. Parhaps it is the ear that needs burn in time...:scratch2:
 
greenmark59 said:
Not to steal this thread, but I'm going to mate my t amp to this little tube preamplifier (already did a simple put together listen and WOW!!!!).
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I've also been looking at that little kit.. its cheap (especially as I'm in Australia), cheap enough just to make it up for fun, even after upgrading the stock components.

Also although my TDA8920 class D amp sounds great at low/medium levels it does get a bit crunchy up loud.. this is purely its power rating. I'm thinking of making up the 41hz.com "amp15-ps" kit which (100W) which should give me Class D goodness but with a bit of power handling as well.
 
riker1384 said:
I don't see anything that's better than a regular amp, except for the face that they can run off batteries. For the price you pay for them, you could buy a cheap or used stereo receiver and have much more power. They seem like a fad to me.
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You need to hear 'em; they are not a fad. I run a modified Sure board into Klipsch Heresy's, and usually listen to LPs via an SL-1200 and a DL-103. The amp sounds fantastic.
 
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grundigger said:
You need to hear 'em; they are not a fad. I run a modified Sure board into Klipsch Heresy's, and usually listen to LPs via an SL-1200 and a DL-103. The amp sounds fantastic.
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I agree, they are low powered, but so are many tube amps. The t-amps actually sound better to me than many higher powered amps I have tried, and also some of the lower powered tube amps.
 
I have two T-amps; a TA-2024 and TA-2020.
My preferences would be with the TA-2024. Sonically it can beat most (low to medium range) commercial amps.
You have to listen to believe. I did.
 
100 watt Tamp

Parts Express now has a 100 amp model that I think a couple of AKers have ordered. I am waiting to hear how they sound but may be my next purchase.
 
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